Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Happy!?
This song is one of my regular workout play list favorites. Every time it comes on it reminds me of the Truth.
He is not singing about happy for "happy" sake, but of real joy.
I had a hard time tracking down my joy today. I even posted this on a friend's facebook profile when she said she was feeling grumpy today "May the power of God who raised Christ from the dead that lives in you IGNITE you with JOY filling you with a sense of CELEBRATION for all HE has poured into your life. I am praying you have AT LEAST one hard core belly laugh before the end of the day! I love you!!!"
I really should take my own advice. I had to go back and read it myself later today after an unfortunate several incidents where my sons blatantly ignored my instructions AGAIN! I hate taking it personal. My head knows it's not, but my heart doesn't. My heart thinks "I got you to the beach finally, can you please just be grateful and obey me for once so this is easy for me?" But, no, they can't. Because their little heads don't think like that. They think, "I am finally at the beach. I love the beach. I want to play in the water. Oh, I think I heard something, nope, lets play in the water some more, wait, there it is again. I will look up so it seems like I heard something, but then go back to playing and go farther out in the water so I don't hear it again!!".
So, I brought them home, finally, after a dear friend put both her hands on my shoulders and reminded me to just breathe and it will all be ok.
Why does this stuff get me so worked up? I have no idea. I told my husband I am just sick of hearing my voice, giving instructions to the apparently deaf and doling out consequences like they are jelly beans on an Easter egg hunt! Seriously, I would be sick of the consequences by now and just quit! BUT at the ripe old age of 4 (almost 5) and 6, consequences are just a way of life.
As I type I am listening to my two year old cry and holler my name for the umpteenth time tonight. It is 11pm. He has been at it since at least 930. I have been in there about 4 times and his father has been in there at least that many times. This doesn't seem like a good night to get the sleep I need.
Sleep deprived or not, I should be happy. Exhausted or not, I should be happy. I have been given the children I always longed for, an incredible husband, precious friends, an amazing family, a wonderful home, really, I should be happy! And, when I put it like that... I don't have to ponder it deeply or for very long to KNOW - I am Happy! Not because life isn't hard and there aren't challenges to conquer, but really, those things truly don't affect my "happy" factor. Not at all.
Oh and yes, I did end up with at least one memorable belly laugh today. Thank you Lord!
Are you Happy?
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Hey Jen...your post was encouraging to me. I didn't get the belly laugh in, but I did get some legitimate quiet time with God. In my prayer I was whining - about the whining. Ridiculous. Anyway, I felt like God whispered to my heart that even those days that I don't feel like I'm making any headway as a parent, or in fact taking steps backwards - that God has called me to this. And when I got home and Emma got out of bed for the 15th time to tell me that she was tired, I actually responded with a gentle smile and led her back to bed. Glad God has more patience with us than we have!!!
ReplyDeleteYou made me cry with this. It's exactly how I've been feeling the last few months or so. Just yesterday, I was looking at my boys, REALLY looking at them, and I realized how small they really are. Alex is at an age where he purposely ignores me when I ask or tell him to do something. For some reason, God finally let me see how small and helpless, and dependable he is on me. Plus, I saw how much he loved me, which in turn, helps me see God's love.
ReplyDeleteI know I expect a lot out of my boys, even though they are only 3 and 5....and that's not going to change...but I'm praying that in the future, I won't "take it personally" and realize, that's just part of raising kids. I'm sure God feels the same way about us. He tells us to do something that will benefit us, and we ignore it until it seems convenient for us, or until we have no other choice to obey.
What I guess I'm saying, is we can learn a lot from our children....I just need to start paying closer attention.
Wise words my friends!! You both really have some good insight. Now to implement!! Love you both!!
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